Clock setting and regulating mechanism



July 14, 1953 P. OLSON 2,645,077

CLOCK SETTING AND REGULATING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 7, 1947 FIG.

INVENTOR PETER OLSON ATTY.

Patented July 14, 1953 CLOCK SETTING AND REGULATING MECHANISM Peter Olson, Delavan, Wis., assignor to The George W. Borg Corporation, Chicago, 111., a

corporation of Delaware Application February 7, 1947, Serial No. 727,203

9 Claims.

1 l The present invention relates in general to electric clocks, but more in particular to clocks of the type manufactured for use in automobiles; and the object of the invention is a new and improved setting and regulating mechanism for a clock of this character.

The invention as disclosed herein is applied to an automobile clock similar to the clock described in the U. S. patent to Hobbs, No. 2,146,119, granted February 7, 1939, but may be applied to other automobile clocks and even to clocks not designed for use in automobiles.

A feature of the invention is a setting and regulating mechanism, operated from the front of the clock, and having co-axial actuating members for the setting and regulating parts of the mechanism.

Another feature is a regulating mechanism having actuating members both in front and back of the clock, the rear actuating member being primarily for use in regulating the clock in the factory before it is assembled in its case, while the front actuating member is for use after the complete clock has been installed in an automobile.

The invention will be described in detail in the ensuing specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in Which- Fig. 1 is a front view of a complete automobile clock embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section through the casing and certain other parts on the line 2-2, Fig. 1, exposing the clock movement within the casing;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a top View of the clock movement outside the case, with the dial plate removed;

- Fig. 5 is a rear view of the clock; and

Fig. 6 is a section through the actuating members for the setting and regulating mechanism on the line 66, Fig. 2. i

It will be noted that Figs. 3 and 4 are oriented to conform with Fig. 1 rather than Fig. 2. It should be'stated also that in Figs. 2 to 4, inelusive; a large number of parts not concerned with the invention have been omitted.

ter shaft, which has bearings in the front plate 12 and in the bridge member IS. The hub l9, carryin the center wheel 20, is rotatably mounted on the center shaft I! and is driven by the main spring (not shown) in the manner disclosed in the Hobbs patent previously referred to. The center wheel 26 drives the gear train, also not shown, The balance is shown, however, and is indicated at 2|. Associated with the balance is the hairspring 22, which has its inner end secured to the balance arbor and its outer end attached to the member 23 on the frame plate H.

The regulator comprises a pivoted sector 24 of familiar construction, which meshes with the gear 25 on shaft 26 and has a perforate arm 21 through which the outer coil of the hairspring passes. Rotation of the sector 24 changes the effective length of the hairspring and thus changes the rate of the clock.

The regulator is adjusted by rotating the shaft 26. This shaft has bearings in the frame plates 0 and II and can be rotated by means of the pointer 36, which is secured to the end of the shaft on the back of the clock. The pointer cooperates with the scale 31 to indicate the adjusted position when the clock is viewed from the rear, or when the movement is outside the case. The scale divisions are preferably engraved in the back plate l0 and the pointer has a tapered curve tip which enters successive scale divisions as the pointer is rotated, due to the action of the spring washer 38 inserted between the back plate In and the pinion 39 on shaft 26. The washer urges the shaft 26 toward plate I l and thus maintains the operative mechanical relation between the pointer and scale, which serves to prevent accidental movement of the regulator.

The pinion 28 is fixed on the center shaft H and is driven by the center wheel 20 through the medium of the spring washer 29, which is compressed between the gear wheel and the hub of the pinion. The minutes hand 30 is carried on the center shaft ll in the usual manner. The hours hand is engraved, painted, or otherwise impressed on the disc 3|, which is carried on the tubular sleeve 32. This sleeve is driven in known manner by means of pinion 28, gear 33, pinion 34 and gear 35.

The clock movement may be enclosed in a case 40, as seen in Fig. 2. The'case is closed in front by certain .parts which will be described presently and is open at the back except for an inwardly extending rim 4!. The movement is secured to the rim M by means of screws such as 44, Fig. 5, which pass through ears such as 43 and are threaded into the back plate Ill. A washer 42 of rubber or other suitable material is inserted between the rim 4| and the back plate.

The lower dial 45 rests on the dial plate l6 and may be made of tinnite or other suitable opaque plastic material. The upper dial is indicated at 4B, is made of transparent plastic material, and rests on the dial retainer 41. The numerals are suitably impressed on the lower surface of the upper dial. The crystal, indicated at 48, is clamped between the crystal retainer 49 and the bezel 58. The bezel fits over the upper flanged end of the case 48 and is crimped beneath the flange at a plurality of points to retain it and the associated parts in place.

The lower dial 45, the dial retainer 41, the upper dial A6, and the crystal 48 have aligned openings therein through which the actuating members for the setting mechanism and the front actuating member of the regulating mechanism extend. These actuating members and their associated parts will now be described.

Referring to 6, there is tubular post or stud which is secured to the dial plate 16 as shown. The actuating member for the setting mechanism, a shaft 52, extends through the stud 5i and at its upper end is provided with a setting knob 53. The lower end of the knob fits over a squared portion of the shaft and the knob is held in place by a nut M. has a bearing in the bridge member 55, which is secured at two points to the frame plate [2. The pinion 56 is fixed to the shaft 52 and normally rests against the bridge member the pinion and shaft being urged in this direction by the restoring spring til. By an outward pull on the knob 53, upward as seen in 2 and 6, the shaft 52 can be moved longitudinally until the collar 58 on the shaft engages the lower side of the bridge member 55, thereby causing the pinion 5G to mesh with the gear wheel 59. This gear wheel is mounted on an arbor which has hearings in the frame plate I2 and bridge member 55. lhe gear wheel 59 is in mesh with the gear wheel 33, which is part of the gear train for driving the hours disc 3| from the center shaft I7, and it follows that rotation of the knob 53 while it is held in its outward position will cause the hours and minutes hands to be rotated. This is the setting operation and is made possible by the frictional connection between the center wheel 2d and the pinion 28 on the center shaft ll, as is well understood.

The tubular sleeve 60 surrounds the stud 5i and has an integrally formed pinion 5i at its lower end. The. upper portion of the sleeve 60 is bored out to provide. an annular space between the sleeve and the stud 5 l, in which the tubular sleeve 6.2 is located. The sleeve 52 is provided with a head 65 and has oppositely disposed open slots 63 and 6d. The tongues 56 and 51, formed integrally with the sleeve til, project into these slots and accordingly rotation of the sleeve 62 by means of the head 65 causes rotation of the sleeve 60.

It will be understood that the setting knob 53 and the head 65 on sleeve. 62 are located in front of the crystal 48 and consequently the knob and sleeve have to be installed after the clock movement is assembled in the case, and after the dials, hands and crystal have been assembled and secured by means of the bezel.

The pinion 6| is in mesh with a gear 10 which isrotatably mounted ona stud fixed to the dial plate It. The gear III is in mesh with thepinion The lower end of shaft 52 i H on shaft l2. Shaft 12 has an upper bearing in an offset part 15 of the dial plate [6 and a lower bearing in the back plate ID. Near the back plate the shaft 12 carries the pinion 13 which is coupled to the pinion 39 on regulator shaft 26 by means of the gear wheel M. This gear wheel is mounted on a stud fixed to the back plate I 0.

The head 65 is rotated by inserting a tool such as a knife blade or small screw driver in the slot 68 and using it as a lever or capstan. Rotation of the head 65 rotates the sleeve 60 and the latter rotates the shaft 12 to which it is coupled by means of pinion 6 I, gear H1 and pinion l I. Shaft 12 in turn rotates the regulator shaft 26 by means of the pinion 13, gear 74, and pinion 39, and the regulator shaft rotates the sector 24 by means of pinion 25 as previously explained.

In order to indicate the adjusted position of the regulator at the front of the clock the upper dial 46 is provided with a scale 16 and the sleeve 60 is provided with a pointer 11 which cooperates with the scale. The pointer is made of resilient sheet metal and is pressed onto the sleeve 60 after the upper dia1 48 has been assembled in the case and prior to the assembly of the crystal 48.

The regulating mechanism has been shown in its extreme slow adjusted position so that the slot 68 in head 65 can be seen in Figs. 2 and 6. The regulator might actually be in this position in practice, but in a new clock the adjustment will ordinarily be such that the pointers H and 36 will be somewhere near the centers of their respective scales.

The invention having been described, that which is believed to be new and for which the protection of Letters Patent is desired will be pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a clock, a movement having a frame, regulating mechanism mounted in said frame, a casing for said movement including a dial and a crystal, a support mounted on the front of said frame and extending through said dial at the position normally occupied by one of the nu merals on the dial, an actuating member in front of said crystal and rotatable on said support, means for operatively connecting said actuating member with said mechanism, and means for indicating the position of said mechanism, said means including a scale on said dial at said numeral position.

2. In a clock, a movement including a balance wheel and hairspring, regulating mechanism for said hairspring, a dial, hands cooperating with said dial and driven by said movement, setting mechanism for said hands, actuating membersv for said mechanisms located in front of said dial in the position normally occupied by one of the numerals on the dial, and means for connecting said members with their associated mechanisms, respectively, comprising two concentric shafts extending through the dial at said position 3. A clock as claimed in claim 2, wherein the actuating members are in front of a crystal with. which the clock is provided and wherein the two shafts extend through the crystal as well as through the dial.

4. A clock as claimed in claim 2, wherein means is provided for indicating the position of said regulating mechanism, said means comprising a scale and cooperating index one of which is on the face of the dial.

5. In a clock, a movement including a balance wheel and hairspring, regulating mechanism for said. hairspring, a dial, hands cooperating with said dial and driven by said movement, setting mechanism for said hands, a tubular shaft extending through said dial at the position normally occupied by one of the numerals on the dial, gears connecting said shaft with said regulating mechanism, a second shaft extending through said dial inside said first shaft, means for connecting said second shaft with said setting mechanism, and operating members mounted on said shafts in front of said dial and substantially in the circular row of numerals thereon.

6. A clock as claimed in claim 5, wherein means is provided for indicating the position of said regulating mechanism, said means comprising a scale on the face of the dial, and a cooperating pointer carried on the tubular shaft.

7. In a clock, a movement including setting mechanism and regulatin mechanism, a dial, hands cooperating with said dial and driven by said movement, independently operable actuating members for said setting and regulating mechanisms located in front of said dial in the position normally occupied by one of the numerals thereon, and means supporting said actuating members for rotation on a common axis, said supporting means extending through said dial. I

8. In a clock, a movement having a frame, a case for said movement including a dial and a crystal, a support in the form of a tubular stud secured to said frame and extending through said dial, two shafts mounted on said stud for coaxial rotation and extendin through said dial, one shaft being inside said stud and the other shaft having the form of a sleeve surrounding said stud, actuating members in front of said crystal having operative connections to said shafts, respectively, setting mechanism in said movement operated by one of said shafts, and

6 regulating mechanism in said movement operated by the other shaft.

9. In a clock, a movement having a frame, a case for said movement including a dial and crystal, said dial and crystal having aligned openings therein, a tubular shaft rotatably mounted on said frame and extending through the opening in said dial, an actuating member for said shaft having a part in front of said crystal and a second part extending through the opening therein, an operative connection between said second part and said shaft, a second shaft rotatably mounted on said frame and extending through said tubular shaft and said openings, an actuating member in front of said first actuating member having an operative connection to said second shaft, setting mechanism in said movement operated by one of said shafts, and regulating mechanism in said movement operated by the other of said shafts.

PETER OLSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 236,017 Gerry Dec. 28, 1880 381,603 Zelly Apr. 24, 1888 550,182 Lecoultre-Piquet Nov. 19, 1895 1,099,307 Menns June 9, 1914 1,827,179 Whitehead et al. Oct. 13, 1931 2,000,600 Loeflier May 7, 1935 2,032,414 Helbein Mar. 3, 1936 2,088,421 Kohlhagen July 27, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 117,392 Switzerland a Jan. 17, 1927 

